


Amigo dogs are meant to share

by Effin4



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: M/M, Pre-Qikiqtarjuaq
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-10
Updated: 2013-02-10
Packaged: 2017-11-28 19:55:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/678298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Effin4/pseuds/Effin4
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a story about the time Carolyn couldn't afford two bedrooms and Martin and Douglas ended up having to share one. As it only had a double bed, they ended up sharing that one too, which brought feelings up to the surface. Martin/Douglas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Amigo dogs are meant to share

**Author's Note:**

> This is a little story I wrote to my wonderful friend Crystal for her birthday. As it's been over a half year since she got it, I think I can safely put it up on the internet for other people to read too ^^, Enjoy!

“Boys!” Carolyn came in through the cabin door. “I have some good news and some bad news.”  
“Oh, no!” Martin exclaimed, earning a look from Douglas.   
“What’s the bad news?” he said, looking up at Carolyn.   
“Well, the bad news is that I can’t afford three rooms.”   
Douglas cocked an eyebrow, waiting. “And the good news?” he asked when Carolyn took some time to finish.   
“The good news is that you two will be sharing!”   
“No. No. No. No. No. Carolyn, that’s not going to happen. Must I remind you I’m the captain?” Martin asked.   
“Well then, captain, you’ll have to pay for your own room,” Carolyn said, turning on her heel and disappearing fast out of the cabin, leaving the two pilots behind. Martin looked awkwardly over to Douglas.  
“I can’t afford to pay for my own room,” he said, looking back out of the window. Douglas looked at Martins already red face, and shook his head silently.   
“Well, as a matter of fact, neither can I.”   
“What do you mean? You get paid, you have lots of money!” Martin said, a bit louder than necessary.  
“Yes… And all the money I make, I currently have to pay as alimony to Helena.” Martin looked shocked for a second.   
“Did you get a divorce?” he asked, without knowing if that made the situation better or worse.  
“Well, that’s the usual thing to do when your wife has an affair with her Thai Chi teacher,” Douglas said shortly.   
“Oh,” Martin said, looking funny. “I’m sorry.”   
“It’s okay,” Douglas said, waving it away. “I’ve done it before.”   
“Three times, now, isn’t it?” Martin tried not to sound judgemental.   
“Are you still not seeing anyone, Martin?” Douglas said, cutting him off and sounding very patronizing. Martin didn’t answer, and changed his focus to out of the window again. 

The rest of the trip was taken in silence. When they landed at Rygge airport, and had hovered GERTI, they drove in silence to the hotel.   
“What’s wrong?” Carolyn said when she noticed that not a single word game was uttered the whole day. When Martin opened his mouth, she changed her mind.  
“Oh, hang on, I just realized, I don’t care.” She parked the car outside a small hotel, in the city, called Rica Hotel. Douglas, who’d been sitting in the front, said: “Well, have you decided? I mean, I believe anything you say five times, but I’m just asking, are you sure?”  
Martin chose to ignore the sting in Douglas voice, and said with a cool smile on his face,  
“I have no problem with sharing, unless you have, of course.” His voice was challenging.  
“Of course not,” Douglas said just as coolly. Martin put his nose up in the sky, and tripped over the raise in the doorframe.   
“Nice catch, Skip!” Arthur said, when Martin managed to save his nose from being crushed against the floor, with help of his hands.   
“Don’t put your nose to high, now, Martin. You might trip… Again,” Douglas said, rather mean in his voice. Martin went up the three steps to the desk.   
“Martin!” Carolyn called. “I’m taking care of this, thank you.” She passed Martin and started to talk to the receptionist. 

When Douglas had gotten the key, they went up to room number 16.   
“Why did you have to be the one who got the key?” Martin sulked, when Douglas locked up the door.   
“Because, no matter what Carolyn might think, I’m the Alfa dog. And between us two it’s even more visible who’s what,” Douglas said, starting on another sentence, but stopping in the middle.   
The room was big, big enough for two. The bed, which stood in the middle of the room, was also big enough for two. It had to be, because it was the only bed. Martin tried to look everywhere else than on Douglas, who just stared at the bed for a minute.  
“Well… That was interesting,” Douglas said, experiencing something he rarely did, and really wasn’t very fond of. Speechlessness. He looked over at Martin, who deliberately looked everywhere else and had become very red. Red… Why was he red? Martin usually got red over the littlest of things, but this was just… Weird. Also, he had been silent since he asked…   
“Martin… Are you… Never mind.” Douglas decided to keep his mouth shut when he realized that it might make Martin even more uncomfortable. He realized he didn’t want his co-pilot to sleep in a different room.   
“Hm?” Martin finally managed to take his sight away from the huge double bed.   
“Nothing, which side do you want?” Douglas said, not really asking because he’d already put his things down on the right side. Martin saw this and cocked an eyebrow.  
“Uhm, left is fine…” he said, looking odd over at Douglas, but put his things down. “We’re meeting Arthur and Carolyn for dinner in ten minutes,” he added.   
“I just have time to change then,” Douglas said, disappearing fast into the only bathroom.   
“Oh, great! Were am I going to change now?” Martin shouted, annoyed.   
“Well, I guess you could change in the now empty room, unless you think it’s uncomfortable changing in front of all the furniture,” was the sarcastic answer from the bathroom. He blushed when he realized Douglas was right, and started to get out of his pilot-wear. 

Douglas stood in the bathroom, fully changed. He opened the door slightly, and saw that Martin wasn’t finished yet. Without thinking about it, he ended up standing there, watching the skinny man pulling his trousers up. He was so skinny… Douglas made a little note of having a serious talk with Carolyn about paying the poor man. If Martin didn’t eat more, he wouldn’t pass his medical next time, and maybe get seriously sick. He was so thin, Douglas suddenly felt the need to hold around him to make sure he didn’t break into pieces. The longer Douglas stood there, the more he felt a warmth spreading in his chest.   
“Douglas? Are you watching me change?” Martin said, his voice not quite believing the words he said. Douglas was snapped out of his thoughts of his co-pilot, and tried to keep calm.  
“Don’t get so high thoughts about yourself, Martin, I’m simply done myself and was on my way out.” Martin wanted to comment that he knew he’d been standing there for a while, and usually when you are on your way out, you don’t make a little gap, for then to look out of it, but he closed his already open mouth, nodding and turning away, pulling his last piece of clothes, the worn-out, old sweater, over his head.  
Stupid! Douglas said to himself, realizing he probably had been so lost in his thoughts he didn’t notice that Martin saw him. Well, at least he didn’t ask about it.

Martin shook his head slightly. Douglas had been acting really weird today. What was that staring about? Could it be that Douglas Richardson… No. Martin didn’t even dare to think the thought through.   
They went in silence down to the hotel restaurant, but this time, the silence was more awkward than offended.   
“Seriously, what is up with you two today?” Carolyn asked, after casting a glimpse on them. “You can’t be this angry about sharing a room.”   
“It’s nothing, really.” Martin said, sitting down opposite Douglas. Carolyn cocked an eyebrow but decided to keep her mouth shut. Whatever was going on, she probably didn’t want to know about it. They ordered and the food was eaten in silence. The only thing that broke the silence from time to time was Arthur’s wholeheartedly attempt on making them all smile, sadly enough he failed. All had their thoughts in different places, and they only faked a smile when Arthur did something he thought was funny. Even Douglas didn’t comment on everything in a sarcastic tone today. Martin cocked his eyebrows on the inside, still wondering what all this was about.  
Douglas watched Martin almost inhaling his food. He didn’t order too big a portion; he’d simply ordered the cheapest hamburger and water. He had to talk to Carolyn about this. She wouldn’t earn anything on having a pilot who failed his medical test. When they’d eaten, Douglas gave, much to Martin’s surprise, his captain the key, and said he needed to talk to Carolyn about some urging matters. Martin lifted his eyebrow, but didn’t say anything and disappeared up with Arthur, who was looking forward to putting the rest of his things into all the drawers and closets in the room.  
“Carolyn, I need to talk to you,” he said.   
“Oh God, what have I done,” she said, but continuing before he got the chance to answer. “Don’t you do anything to Martin, do you hear? Whatever you’ve planned, drop it. I can’t afford loosing a pilot.”  
“What makes you think I’m going to do something to Martin?” Douglas asked, forgetting for a second what he was supposed to ask about, trying to hide out the panic that hit him.   
“Don’t be stupid, Douglas, I saw the way you looked at him during dinner. Don’t do anything to scare him away. That’s an order, because no matter how much you may like to think you are, I’m the actual Alfa dog, and you have to listen to me. Now shut it, and tell me what you needed to talk about.”  
Douglas came back to earth, managing not to argue, at least not right now, about the alfa dog matter.  
“Martin’s salary. It’s not that I don’t find it endearing to hear him sulk all day long over not getting paid, but Carolyn, have you looked at him? He’s skinny as a bone. And I know you can’t afford paying him much, but even you can pay him a little. You won’t earn anything if he fails his medical and you need to find another pilot. Not anyone else in the world has so little self-respect they would accept any kind of payment you can afford to offer, or work for MJN air at all for that matter, and I don’t want to work alone. I’ll have no one to outwit except you and Arthur, and that’s not really even a challenge.” Carolyn gaped, but shut her mouth before Douglas commented on it. Whatever she’d thought he was going to talk to her about, this wasn’t it. Since when did Douglas care about what Martin did? Though he had a point of course. He always had a point, but she really couldn’t afford paying Martin. Unless…  
“If I’m going to pay Martin, I have to cut your pay, you realize that, don’t you?” Carolyn tried, figuring that would make him take back the idea.  
“That’s okay,” Douglas said. “Just, make sure he has enough to get himself food.” Then he turned on his heel and walked out of the restaurant, heading for his room, leaving a speechless Carolyn behind. 

“What did you talk to Carolyn about?” Martin said, when Douglas entered the room.   
“Just some ways to save money on our trips,” he said, disappearing in to the bathroom. He needed to think. Why had he done that? After the divorce he really needed the paycheck himself. Did he… No. But he really did, didn’t he? Carolyn’s word rang in the back of his head. I saw the way you looked at him during dinner. Don’t do anything to scare him away. Maybe he for once should listen to Carolyn. He didn’t want Martin to resign from his job.   
He drew his breath, threw some water in his face, and entered the hotel room again. Martin was nowhere to be found, which partly made Douglas relieved and partly worried. ‘He’s surely gone to talk to Arthur or something,’ he thought to himself, grabbing the TV-control and shutting out every thought of his own behaviour around Martin today. He lay for a while, carelessly zapping through the few channels the hotel had to offer, not actually paying attention. Douglas didn’t have to wait long though, because Martin entered the door not much more than 15 minutes after Douglas had come out of the bathroom. He’d just had time to zap past BBC seven times. 

“There you are,” he said indifferently, keeping his eyes focused on the TV. “I was starting to wonder if you’d decided to switch rooms anyway, or maybe sleep in GERTI.” When Martin didn’t answer or even made a sound, he moved his eyes. Martin stood just inside the door, looking as he was trying to consume something. His face looked wondering, puzzled, and he was obviously looking for words.   
“I just talked to Carolyn… Douglas, did you offer to cut your pay so that I could get a salary?”   
“Because I’m of course known as the type of man who would do such a thing,” Douglas answered sarcastic, thinking that Carolyn sure had been quick.   
“Why?” Martin simply asked.  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Douglas said, sounding annoyed. Lying had always come easy to him. Martin took a few steps away from the door, approaching Douglas silently.  
“Give it up, Douglas. I might not be Sherlock Holmes, but I’m not an idiot. You just came up from talking with Carolyn, and suddenly I’m paid. Everyone could work out that one.”  
Douglas realized he was fighting a lost case.  
“Well, if I did, so what. It’s nothing to talk about.”  
“Douglas, why? Why did you do it? You told me yourself, you need the money.” Martin had come even closer, his voice more intense. What should he say? I saw the way you looked at him during dinner. Don’t do anything to scare him away.   
“It’s fair. We do the same job.” Douglas moved his eyes to the TV again, which showed some kind of commercial. Martin raised an eyebrow. When did Douglas ever care about fair?  
“Did you do this to earn a favour?” Martin asked suspiciously. Douglas shook his head.   
“No. I have actually no idea of what kind of favour you could do for me.” Douglas’ voice was despiteful, and it was clear he wanted the subject left.  
“Douglas… Look at me.” When Douglas didn’t, but kept his look straight on the TV, it finally became crystal clear to Martin. Why he’d been so weird about the divorce. Why he’d reacted so odd about the double bed. Why he’d stood watching him change. Why he’d cut his own pay in order to give Martin a salary. Martin didn’t know if he dared to believe it, but had to ask.  
“Douglas.” His voice was deadly serious, strong, but not louder than that Douglas could only hear him because he listened. “Do you love me, Douglas?” 

Well, this was awkward, Douglas thought. He still hadn’t answered Martin’s blunt question, and Martin looked like he regretted uttering the words. When Douglas saw Martins regretting expression turn over to something entirely different, Douglas too realized something. Martin had turned to walk away, trying to hide the pain and disappointment on his face, when Douglas stood up. He took two steps closer, and grabbed Martin’s arm, turning him around to face him. Then he gently caressed Martins hair, pulling it backwards and enjoying the surprised look on his face, before bending down, slowly pressing his lips against Martins. Martin stood still for a moment, slightly shocked, before responding. Douglas’s lips were warm and soft. As he’d imagined, Douglas was pretty experienced, and the feeling of Douglas tongue licking his lower lips, made shivers of pleasure go down his spine. He put his arms around the taller pilot, pressing himself closer, parting his lips. Douglas carefully stuck his tongue in to Martins mouth, and Martin could taste the sushi Douglas had eaten for dinner, but he could also taste something else. It tasted sweet, with a vague hint of apple juice. Just as Martin was on his way to meet Douglas’s tongue with his own, Douglas teasingly bit Martins lower lip, nipping and dragging gently in it. The feeling of Douglas body against his, and the nibbling in his lip, was too much to bear at the moment, and Martin pulled away.  
“I take that as a yes, then,” Martin said with a smile.  
“Want to bet?” Douglas said, with another smile, bending down to kiss Martin again.

“Oh, God.” Suddenly they heard a familiar voice behind them.   
“I should’ve known it.” Carolyn stood in the doorframe, trying to hide her little smile.  
“I take it your parents forgot to teach you how to knock,” Douglas said, annoyed. He hated being interrupted in such matters. Also, he found it a tiny bit awkward standing in front of their elder boss with a clearly visible hard-on. He glued a silly smile on his face, looking up at Carolyn, waiting for Martin to say something. Martin stood in utter silence, wondering if he was going to be fired, now. Just when Martin and Douglas thought it couldn’t get any worse, Arthur appeared in the door opening. 

“Skip, are you ill? Why is Douglas holding around you?” Martin tried not to laugh.  
“Uhm, I’m feeling a bit dizzy,” he admitted, and Douglas met his eyes, sharing a knowing look, before smiling happy.   
“I’m going to puke,” Carolyn said, trying to make it sound serious, but failed. This had, after all, turned out better than she could’ve imagined. “At least MJN air can save some money from now on, just paying for one room.”   
Arthur stood, looking confused from each and every one of them, probably trying to remember what he learnt at the course in Ipswich. After a while, he said:  
“Douglas… Why is there a bulge in your pants?” Carolyn, who normally wasn’t so easy to make embarrassed, turned red, before grabbing Arthurs arm and heading him towards the reception.   
“You wanted a book about otters, didn’t you?” they heard her say, followed by Arthur’s little squeak of joy.  
Douglas turned back to Martin again.   
“Well, where were we?” Martin smiled, but ducked away from Douglas’s kiss.  
“Maybe we should close the door, this time.”   
“No, why?” Douglas took a firm grip in the red silk that was Martin’s hair, gently forcing his lips to meet his own. Martin was stopped right in the middle of an arguing sentence about the door, and then he just fell in with the kiss that felt so incredible right. 

Downstairs, in the little bookshop the hotel provided, Carolyn smiled for herself. She knew it’d been the right decision to make them share a room. She’d seen how they’d acted the last weeks, and it was so obvious that hadn’t Douglas been one of the two, he’d guaranteed commented on it. She shook her head; pleased she’d managed to control them, just one more proof to her being the alfa dog, while Arthur had his nose down in a book about otters and hedgehogs.   
“I want this one, mum! See, that otter looks like skip!” Arthur pointed at one of the otters, which had its mouth open. Carolyn didn’t mean to, but a little laughter escaped her. It actually had quite a resemblance. 

A little later, upstairs, Martin lay in Douglas arms, snuggling as close to him as possible, when a thought crossed his mind.   
“Do you think Carolyn planned this?”   
“Oh yeah,” Douglas answered, kissing Martins head.   
“But what about Helena? Didn’t she cheat on you?” Martin asked, curious.  
“Yes, she did. Though, I must say, she couldn’t have done me a bigger favour. I’d been wanting to get out of that marriage for a long time.”   
“Because of me?” Martin grinned, and instead of answering, Douglas shut him up by pressing his lips firmly on Martins.


End file.
